My rearview mirror fell off my K5. Simple problem. Go to the store, get some rearview mirror glue, follow the instructions...should be good right.
Wrong.
Seems, they like playing a little game of hide the expiration date on the glues.
I bought Permatex "extreme" after doing some research, it's the same exact kit you'll get at your local GM,Ford,Chrysler dealer (albiet packaged slightly differently, colors mostly). I could immediately tell it's the same stuff as the Permatex sold in auto stores, at twice the price and different colored cardboard backer.
SO I get it. Follow the instructions to a tee, even wait longer than the 30mins they recommend before hanging the mirror on the tab, I waited overnight, hung the mirror, tab pulls right off the glass.
I notice, the glue, is still wet. WTF?
This is a two part deal, activator and the glue itself. Having a friend who used to do sales for Henkel (Loctite) I know most high end adhesives are two part and they will expire after a few years. It appears to me, the adhesive, has not been activated.
Thinking, I probably did something wrong, I called the 1-877 permatex number on the back of the package. I got a very nice english speaking tech from IN, who, after listening to half of my story, says, "look at the activator pak, there's a code on the bottom, what's the first two digits?" I look, 3H. "3H" he says, that's August, of 2013. Should be max 2 years from the date code, it's way out of date, no wonder it didn't work"
I say, ok...but that activator pak is inside the bubble pak, date code to the cardboard backer,can't see it even if you know what to look for, the package itself, makes no mention of expiration's, date codes..etc.. "Yeah...it's a problem". That's it...it's a problem...it's not the store fault, your package says 0 about expiration, they'll stock it till it sells, period. Sales make even make choices to buy giant amounts to stock for years for all stores if not faced with expiration's.
Well, Permatex is not alone. Loctite and 3M "Rearview mirror" adhesive also have no expiration, but have date coded bottles, all using the same adhesive formula which is why the Permatex Extreme has an OEM GM P/N, along with Ford and Chrysler P/N's , and it doesn't say replaces, it says they are, those P/N's....on it which they wouldn't be allowed to print without being that P/N.
I took mine back and thankfully Advanced Auto guy said, hmm...we went to the shelf he immediately busted out his pocket knife and ripped open 4 packages, without me even asking him to do so, the first three had the same 3H code. The 4th, had 6A. January, 2016. I saw it, "perfect, I'll take that one". Followed the same procedure I followed the night previous, now I can't pry that tab off the glass if I tired. And I did, I grabbed that bitch with some pliers and tried to tear it off. After so much twisting, pulling, and brute force to the point where any more and I felt I'd break the windshield, I was satisfied.
Problem is, there is no way to tell without opening the package, what the date code is, and therefor, if it's any good. If you look at reviews on amazon, all the loctite,3m,permatex rearview mirror glues have either 100% awesome or 1 star horrible worst ever rating, almost nothing in between. I may surmise, all the negative reviews come from expired glue, the stuff works , I can assure you, it just needs to be less than 2 years old, ideally less than 1.
But, why are the manufacteres hiding this!?!?!? It's not like it half works, well mabey, between 2 and 3, after 3, it's total junk, worthless, the activator won't do anytihng and the glue will be wet days later, no set, as in, can't hold your mirror on. They know this, but, don't publish, in obvious terms, an expiration.
Seems everything is life is such a game these days. Perhaps, I'm just getting to be and old fart, I Dunno.
Wrong.
Seems, they like playing a little game of hide the expiration date on the glues.
I bought Permatex "extreme" after doing some research, it's the same exact kit you'll get at your local GM,Ford,Chrysler dealer (albiet packaged slightly differently, colors mostly). I could immediately tell it's the same stuff as the Permatex sold in auto stores, at twice the price and different colored cardboard backer.
SO I get it. Follow the instructions to a tee, even wait longer than the 30mins they recommend before hanging the mirror on the tab, I waited overnight, hung the mirror, tab pulls right off the glass.
I notice, the glue, is still wet. WTF?
This is a two part deal, activator and the glue itself. Having a friend who used to do sales for Henkel (Loctite) I know most high end adhesives are two part and they will expire after a few years. It appears to me, the adhesive, has not been activated.
Thinking, I probably did something wrong, I called the 1-877 permatex number on the back of the package. I got a very nice english speaking tech from IN, who, after listening to half of my story, says, "look at the activator pak, there's a code on the bottom, what's the first two digits?" I look, 3H. "3H" he says, that's August, of 2013. Should be max 2 years from the date code, it's way out of date, no wonder it didn't work"
I say, ok...but that activator pak is inside the bubble pak, date code to the cardboard backer,can't see it even if you know what to look for, the package itself, makes no mention of expiration's, date codes..etc.. "Yeah...it's a problem". That's it...it's a problem...it's not the store fault, your package says 0 about expiration, they'll stock it till it sells, period. Sales make even make choices to buy giant amounts to stock for years for all stores if not faced with expiration's.
Well, Permatex is not alone. Loctite and 3M "Rearview mirror" adhesive also have no expiration, but have date coded bottles, all using the same adhesive formula which is why the Permatex Extreme has an OEM GM P/N, along with Ford and Chrysler P/N's , and it doesn't say replaces, it says they are, those P/N's....on it which they wouldn't be allowed to print without being that P/N.
I took mine back and thankfully Advanced Auto guy said, hmm...we went to the shelf he immediately busted out his pocket knife and ripped open 4 packages, without me even asking him to do so, the first three had the same 3H code. The 4th, had 6A. January, 2016. I saw it, "perfect, I'll take that one". Followed the same procedure I followed the night previous, now I can't pry that tab off the glass if I tired. And I did, I grabbed that bitch with some pliers and tried to tear it off. After so much twisting, pulling, and brute force to the point where any more and I felt I'd break the windshield, I was satisfied.
Problem is, there is no way to tell without opening the package, what the date code is, and therefor, if it's any good. If you look at reviews on amazon, all the loctite,3m,permatex rearview mirror glues have either 100% awesome or 1 star horrible worst ever rating, almost nothing in between. I may surmise, all the negative reviews come from expired glue, the stuff works , I can assure you, it just needs to be less than 2 years old, ideally less than 1.
But, why are the manufacteres hiding this!?!?!? It's not like it half works, well mabey, between 2 and 3, after 3, it's total junk, worthless, the activator won't do anytihng and the glue will be wet days later, no set, as in, can't hold your mirror on. They know this, but, don't publish, in obvious terms, an expiration.
Seems everything is life is such a game these days. Perhaps, I'm just getting to be and old fart, I Dunno.
Apparently, that is what they are suggesting.
